Ireland 1980 - Johnny Logan - Whats another Year - YouTube Ireland 1980 - Johnny Logan - Whats another Year Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Sep 27, 2009 Johnny Logan won The Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 1980 with this song 'What's Another Year' . This is his performance from the 1980 Irish National Final Category Eurovision Song Contest 1980 | Eurovision Song Contest Show more Eurovision Song Contest 1980 Israeli TV declined the opportunity to host the 1980 Song Contest again after Israel won in Jerusalem in 1979. After much discussion, it was decided that the contest would be arranged by Dutch TV NOS in The Hague. Do we have any volunteers? The Hague was once again the host city for the song contest after both Israel and the United Kingdom declined to stage the contest after Israel declined the opportunity to host the show twice in succession.

As a result of these delays, the 1980 contest was hastily arranged and Dutch TV NOS had to re-use most of the stage from 1976, the last time they hosted the contest. NOS picked 19th April as the date for the song contest, but as this was the Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel, the defending champion decided not to participate which marked the only time when the winner of one Eurovision Song Contest did not participate in the next. Merhaba Morocco For the first time in the history of the song contest, an African country - Morocco - participated with Samira, a star in the Arabic world. When her entry Bitakat Hob ended up at 18th position with just 7 points altogether, Moroccan TV decided that the country should not participate in the contest again. Turkey returned to the contest after one year's absence and Monaco stayed home which meant that the total amount of participating countries amounted to 19 - just as in 1979. Each country brought along a presenter of its own choice to introduce the song in their native language. What's another year Johnny Logan, who would later be called "Mr. Eurovision", secured Ireland's second victory.

The Australian-born singer who only became an Irish citizen after he sang for Ireland in the 1980 contest, would later return and win the contest again in 1987. His 1980 victory brought him a number one hit in the UK and numerous television appearances across Europe. What's another year was awarded the maximum 12 points by seven countries, ending up with 143 points in total. Facts & Figures Eurovision Winners Videos - 1980s 1980s 1989 - Yugoslavia Riva, "Rock Me, Baby" "Rock Me" was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1989. Performed by Riva, representing Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the first and only time that this country would win the Contest. The song was performed in Serbo-Croatian, however during the winners' encore lead vocalist Emilija Kokic sang the song in English. The song's victory led to international awareness of Yugoslav rock. Riva's frontress Emilija Kokic continued to appear in various shows but had no significant success after the 1989 victory.

1988 - Switzerland Celine Dion , "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi" "Ne partez pas sans moi" ("Don't Leave Without Me") is the Swiss winning entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988. Performed by Céline Dion, it was released as a single in Europe on May 6, 1988. Dion performed "Ne partez pas sans moi" for 600 million viewers worldwide on the awards telecast. The song composed by Turkish songwriter named Atilla Sereftug and Swiss composer Nella Martinetti won with 137 points, beating the United Kingdom entry "Go" performed by Scott Fitzgerald by just one point in one of the closest finishes in Eurovision history. The single sold 200,000 copies in Europe in two days and over 300,000 copies in total. It is considered to be one of the most popular Eurovision entries, mainly because Dion used the song's success to launch her international career. "Ne partez pas sans moi" was also included on Dion's 1988 album The Best Of released in Europe (June 1988).

The song appeared in Canada as B-side to "D'abord, c'est quoi l'amour?." It also appeared on the French version of Dion's Incognito album. A music video was released in 1988. Céline Dion also recorded a German version of "Ne partez pas sans moi," called "Hand in Hand". 1987 - Ireland Johnny Logan, "Hold Me Now" "Hold Me Now" is a song composed and performed by Irish singer Johnny Logan. It became the winner of the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest. Logan had previously won with "What's Another Year?" in the 1980 Contest and would go on to write the winner of the 1992 Contest ("Why Me?" for Linda Martin for whom he had previously written "Terminal 3" at the 1984 Contest). The song is usually sung by Bohemians at home matches in Dalymount Park. The song was performed twentieth on the night, following Denmark's Anne-Cathrine Herdorf & Drengene with "En lille melodi" and preceding Yugoslavia's Novi Fosili with "Ja sam za ples".

At the close of voting, it had received 172 points, placing 1st in a field of 22. After Logan had been proclaimed the winner with this song, he was overcome with emotion during the reprise and was unable to reach the high notes in this part of the song. As he had when he won in 1980 with "What's Another Year?", he shouted "I still love you, Ireland". Lyrically, the song is a ballad sung from the point of view of a man whose love interest is leaving him for someone else ("from now on you'll be with someone else instead of me"). The singer pleads with his girlfriend to "touch, touch me the way you used to do" in order to leave him with good memories of their relationship, even as they "fill this memory/for the last time". The chorus then tells the girl "don't say a word", as they prepare to part. Despite the sad nature of the parting, the singer says that "I will know/though we're apart/we'll always be together", which implies some sort of optimism on his part.

The music (also composed by Logan) is that of a typical Eurovision power ballad, with the final chorus being introduced by a chorus of backing singers before they are joined by Logan's voice again. The song was succeeded as winner in 1988 by Celine Dion representing Switzerland with "Ne partez pas sans moi". It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1988 contest by Jump The Gun with "Take Him Home". "Hold Me Now" is regarded by many fans as one of the high points of Contest history, recently being voted the third-best song in Eurovision history (behind "Waterloo" and "Nel blu dipinto di blu"). 1986 - Belgium Sandra Kim, "J'aime La Vie" "J'aime la vie" (I Love Life) was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1986. The winning song was performed for Belgium by Sandra Kim. Belgium had finished the 1985 Contest in last place, and thus achieved the rare turnaround from last to first in the space of one year. The song also marks the only time to date that Belgium has won the Contest.

The song was also released on Kim's album J'aime la vie in 1986. At Bergen, the song was performed thirteenth on the night (following Ireland's Luv Bug with "You Can Count On Me" and preceding Germany's Ingrid Peters with "Über Die Brücke Geh'n"). Its winning tally was 176 points, finishing first in a field of 20. The entry received points from every jury. In the lyrics, Kim describes herself as being "fifteen", although she was later proven to be only thirteen at the time of her performance. She thus remains the youngest ever Eurovision winner and one of the youngest-ever performers at the Contest. Her record is unlikely to be challenged, as the Contest rules were changed to specify that performers must turn at least 16 in the year that they perform. According to author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor in his book The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History, the Swiss (who had placed 2nd) petitioned to have the Belgian win nullified after Kim's age was revealed.

Kim, herself of Italian descent, also recorded her winning entry in Italian (with the same title as the original French, "J'aime la vie") and English ("Crazy of Life"). In a 2006 online interview with 12points.be, Kim was asked if she sings "J'aime la vie" "with pleasure" at concerts and events now, to which she responded, "Not always." She then said, "It's a little girl's song, with little girl's lyrics, with a young adolescent's atmosphere. Nowadays, singing "J'aime la vie"...do you like life every day? Me neither." She does however continue to perform the song, and in 2007 one of the performances was televised live on Norwegian TV. "J'aime la vie" was succeeded as Belgian representative at the 1987 Contest, held in Brussels, by Liliane Saint-Pierre performing "Soldiers of Love". 1985 - Norway Bobbysocks, "La Det Swinge" "La det swinge" ("Let it swing") is a song in Norwegian, sung by the pop duo Bobbysocks!.

It was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1985 - Norway's first victory in the contest. The song is a tribute to dancing to old rock 'n' roll heard on the radio. Befitting the subject matter, the song itself is written in an old-fashioned style, with a memorable saxophone melody setting the chorus off. The melody arrangement is in retro style, containing elements of contemporary 1980s music and throwbacks to the 1950s. The song was performed thirteenth on the night, following Italy's Al Bano and Romina Power with "Magic Oh Magic" and preceding the United Kingdom's Vikki Watson with "Love Is". At the close of voting, it received 123 points, placing 1st in a field of 19. For their Eurovision appearance, the two members - Hanne Krogh and Elisabeth Andreasson - appeared in sparkling, bright purple jackets, worn over black and white outfits; Krogh sported a striking, black-and-white striped floor-length gown.

This was Elisabeth Andreasson's second appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest; in 1982 she represented Sweden in the duo Chips with Kikki Danielsson singing "Dag efter dag". Danielsson incidentally finished third after Bobbysocks and West Germany's Wind, with "Bra vibrationer" in the 1985 contest, again representing Sweden. Andreasson in turn went on to appear in the contest on two more occasions - she finished sixth in 1994, performing a duet with Jan Werner Danielsen, entitled simply, "Duett" and in 1996, she appeared as a solo artist, finishing second to Ireland's Eimear Quinn. Krogh finished 17th (second from last) in the contest in 1971, with the song "Lykken er", and in 1991 she returned to the Contest as part of the group Just 4 Fun, finishing 17th with "Mrs. Thompson". "La Det Swinge" was succeeded as Norwegian representative at the 1986 Contest by Ketil Stokkan with "Romeo".

Following their win, the single "La det swinge" peaked at #1 in the Norwegian and Belgian singles chart, and entered the charts in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, United Kingdom to name a few. 1984 - Sweden Herrey's, "Diggi-loo Diggi-ley" "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 1984. Performed in Swedish by a trio of brothers named Herrey's. Lyrics were written by Britt Lindeborg, and the tune by Torgny Söderberg. It was produced by Anders Engberg and Torgny Söderberg.

The song is a perfect illustration of the time period in which it was performed; a very upbeat 1980s-style dance song, performed by three impossibly clean cut young men - fellow Swedish Eurovision participant Tommy Körberg famously dubbed them "the dancing deodorants" in the press, a derogatory nickname that stuck with them for the rest of their career in their home country - and the nonsensical title harking back to previous entries such as "Boom Bang-a-Bang", "Ding-A-Dong" and "La La La". The song has achieved considerable fame among Eurovision Song Contest fans, with a well-known archive of Contest lyrics using the domain name diggiloo.net, named after it. Despite the reception the song receives today, in the run-up to the Contest it was not an immediate favorite to win; bookmakers Ladbrokes had Ireland's "Terminal 3" and Italy's "I treni di Tozeur" as higher favourites, so the song winning came as a surprise to many.

According to author John Kennedy O'Connor's The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History, The Herrey's opened the contest and thus became the third winners of the competition to sing from pole position, following Teach-In in 1975 and Brotherhood of Man in 1976. No song sung first or second has won since. The song itself deals with the lead singer discovering a pair of golden shoes in the street one day. He puts them on and immediately feels like dancing in the street, entering a "magical world". Thus, he wishes for everyone to have a pair. The English translation, released some time after the Contest, took much the same theme, titling the song "Golden Shoes". Richard Herrey, lead singer of the band, performed at the Congratulations special in late 2005. The song was succeeded as winner in 1985 by Bobbysocks representing Norway with "La det swinge". "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" as best reached a 2nd place at the Swedish singles charts.

1983 - Luxembourg Corinne Hermes, "Si La Vie Est Cadeau" "Si la vie est cadeau" ("If Life is a Gift") was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1983. Written by Jean-Pierre Millers (music) and Alain Garcia (lyrics), performed in French by French singer Corinne Hermès for Luxembourg. The song is a dramatic ballad dealing with the wonder of life, likening it to a gift. The lyrics tell of the singer's suffering in love with a man; "who promised her the whole world" and did not follow through, "what about the baby I wanted to give to you in the spring?". She then sings that any kind of gift is welcome, whether it be given, stolen or returned, and warns that the good times are too short, implying that the listener should savor them for all they are worth. Hermès also recorded the song in English and German, as "Words of Love" and "Liebe gibt und nimmt" ("Love Gives and Takes") respectively. The song was performed 20th (last) on the night, following Belgium's Pas de Deux with "Rendez-vous".

At the close of voting, it had received 142 points, placing 1st in a field of 20. The win brought Luxembourg equal with France on five Contest wins apiece, however both countries would later be eclipsed by the Republic of Ireland, which would win seven. Compared to the previous year's Eurovision winners, "Si la vie est cadeau" only proved to be a moderate commercial success, peaking at #2 in France, #3 in Belgium, #12 in Ireland, #13 in Sweden, #14 in Switzerland, #31 in the Netherlands and failing to chart in most other European countries. The song was succeeded in 1984 as winner of the Contest by Herreys representing Sweden with "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley". It was succeeded as Luxembourgish representative at the 1984 Contest by Sophie Carle with "100% d'amour". The Finnish rendering "Lahjan Sain" was recorded by Lea Laven being the title cut of her 1983 album release.

1982 - Germany Nicole, "Ein Bisschen Frieden" (winner's performance) "Ein bißchen Frieden" ("A Little Peace" in English) won the 1982 ESC and was sung by Nicole. "Ein bißchen Frieden" was written by prolific German Eurovision-writing duo Ralph Siegel (music) and Bernd Meinunger (lyrics) for the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. The song was performed by 17-year-old high-school student Nicole, resulting in Germany's first win at the Eurovision Song Contest by a record margin of sixty-one points, setting a new record for the largest winning margin that lasted until the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, at which "Love Shine a Light" by Katrina and the Waves won by 70 points. "Ein bißchen Frieden" was the eighteenth and final song performed that evening (following Ireland's The Duskeys with "Here Today Gone Tomorrow"). At the close of voting, it had received 161 points, placing first in a field of 18.

The performance was unlike most other Eurovision entrants in that Nicole performed while seated on a stool, playing a white acoustic guitar and accompanied by a backing group which included a harpist. The gentle ballad describes a wish for world peace, with the lyrics sung in first person, and also describes the beauty of the natural world. After winning the contest, Nicole performed the reprise in four different languages: German, English, French and Dutch, and released recordings in five additional languages across Europe: Danish, Italian, Russian, and a German-English-Dutch combination and a German-English-Italian combination. It topped the charts in many countries, selling more than three million copies and the English version was the last Eurovision winner to top the charts in the United Kingdom. The English version also holds the honour of becoming the 500th British Number One. The song was chosen in an internet poll conducted by the European Broadcasting Union in 2005 as one of the 14 most popular songs in the history of the Eurovision, and was one of the entrants in the Congratulations 50th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, held in October 2005.

Although Nicole was not at the concert, it was re-enacted by dancers equipped with white guitars and a live orchestra as the original footage was shown in the background. "Ein bißchen Frieden" finished as the seventh most popular song in the history of the contest. The song was succeeded as Contest winner in 1983 by "Si la vie est cadeau" by Corinne Hermès representing Luxembourg. It was succeeded as German representative at the 1983 Contest by Hoffmann & Hoffmann with "Rücksicht". In 1982 "Ein bißchen Frieden" was covered in Czech as "Jsme deti slunce" by Jaromír Mayer, in Croatian as "Malo Mira" by Ana Štefok, in Danish as "En smule fred" by Susanne Lana, in Hungarian as "Egy kis nyugalmat kívánok én" by Neoton Família and in Finnish as "Vain Hieman Rauhaa" by Katri Helena.

In 1996, the Swedish techno/folk/bluegrass band Rednex, known for their hit Cotton-Eye Joe around that time, did a cover of "Ein bißchen Frieden," also played in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song has since been rendered in English as "A Little Peace" recorded by Daniel O'Donnell for his 1997 album I Believe, and in Dutch as "Een Beetje Vrede" recorded by Kathleen Aerts for her 2009 album In Symfonie. 1981 - United Kingdom Bucks Fizz, "Making Your Mind Up" "Making Your Mind Up" was sung by British group Bucks Fizz and the 1981 ESC winner. Released in March 1981, it was Bucks Fizz's debut single, the group having been formed just two months earlier. From 2004 to 2007 the BBC used the name Making Your Mind Up for their Eurovision selection show in honour of the song.

In late 1980, songwriter Andy Hill teamed up with John Danter and composed "Making Your Mind Up" with an eye to entering it into the A Song for Europe finals the following year. Working with his then girlfriend, Nichola Martin, a former singer, they set about recording a demo of the song to enter. This featured the vocals of Hill, Martin and Mike Nolan, a singer Martin had worked with before. Martin then set about gathering a line-up to enter the song with, based around her and Nolan. With the song already entered under the name Bucks Fizz, Martin and future manager, Jill Shirley recruited Cheryl Baker, Bobby G and Jay Aston to the line-up, with Martin herself dropping out. The song secured an entry into the final along with another Hill/Danter composition, "Have You Ever Been in Love", which would be performed by Martin and Hill under the name Gem. Martin and Shirley secured a recording deal with RCA Records and Hill spent a week at Mayfair Studios in London with the group recording the song and its B-side. Backing vocals on the record were supplied by Alan Carvell, who also went on to be one of two backing singers in the Eurovision performance.

The song was published by Paper Music, which was a year-old publishing company owned by Billy Lawrie – himself a songwriter and brother of singer Lulu. Choreographer Chrissie Whickham, a former member of dance troupe Hot Gossip, spent two days with the group working on the dance routine. The lyrics of the song are largely meaningless, although it can be argued that they are about making the decision to commit to a serious relationship. On 11 March 1981, Bucks Fizz performed "Making Your Mind Up" at the Song for Europe finals and despite being up against favourites and current chart group Liquid Gold, won the contest with ease. From this point, the group undertook much promotion of the song around the UK, including an appearance on Top of the Pops, whereby the single entered the UK charts at 24. It rose to No.5 the following week. A promotional video was filmed by the BBC for the Eurovision previews as they had done in previous years. The video depicts the group walking around Harrods department store in London. In line with other previous preview videos, the group do not lipsynch any of the words.

This video has never been released on any official Bucks Fizz video or DVD releases, in its place is the group's first appearance on Top of the Pops. On 4 April the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest was staged in Dublin. In a close contest throughout the voting procedure, "Making Your Mind Up" managed to secure a victory with 136 points, beating second-placed Germany by a small margin of four. The song is held in affectionate regard by many Eurovision fans, and is generally considered to be a good example of a pop song from the Contest. Reaction was less favourable to the group's performance of the song, which was considered to be off-key, and led to much criticism that the members were chosen more for appearance than vocal ability. In addition, the performance is remembered for the point at which the two male members of the group removed the skirts of the two female members – only to reveal shorter skirts beneath them. Member Cheryl Baker has since commented on their poor performance stating that she sang the song in a higher key to the rest of the group due to nerves.

Mike Nolan has said that on the night the microphones got mixed up, with Baker and Jay Aston singing on the lead microphones which had a higher volume. "Making Your Mind Up" went to No.1 in the UK following the victory and remained there for three weeks, becoming one of the biggest selling songs of the year. It also saw the group in high demand throughout Europe, with the single hitting No.1 in many countries and charting in the top ten in Australia. The record eventually sold four million copies worldwide. The single began a run of 20 UK hits for Bucks Fizz and was quickly followed up by "Piece of the Action" and debut album, Bucks Fizz. At the end of the decade, "Making Your Mind Up" was No.47 in the UK top selling singles of the 1980s. Despite the success of the song, fans of the group don't consider it to be a good representation of their work, while member Cheryl Baker doesn't rate it as one of their best songs. In the Eurovision, the song was succeeded as a UK entry by "One Step Further" by Bardo, who were managed by the same team as Bucks Fizz.

As a winner, it was succeeded by "Ein Bisschen Frieden", sung by Germany's Nicole. The song title has also given the name to the UK selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest. The now infamous skirt rip of the dance routine (which was mirrored by Mick Jagger and Tina Turner at 1985's Live Aid) has appeared in many contests since that time – most notably as part of Latvia's Marie N's performance of "I Wanna", which won for Latvia, in 2002. "Making Your Mind Up" was spoofed by many artists following its success, with alternative titles: "Me vas a volver loco (You're Going to Drive Me Crazy)" (by Spanish group Parchís), "Rock and Roll Cowboy" by German singer Maggie Mae and "It's Only a Wind Up" by British comedy group Brown Sauce. 1980 - Ireland Johnny Logan & Choir, "What's Another Year" "What's Another Year" was Johnny Logan's first Eurovision Song Contest winner. "What's Another Year" achieved success in the 1980 edition of the Contest. This was Ireland's second Contest victory.

Composed by Shay Healy, the song reached number one in the UK for two weeks in May. The song is often misinterpreted as a power ballad, sung from the point of view of a man who has been waiting for the girl of his dreams to fall in love with him. On some level, he seems to recognise that she will never share his feelings, but he still holds them regardless. The title appears in the chorus, specifically "What's another year/To someone who is getting used to being alone?" In other words, he is prepared to wait as long as it takes. In reality, the song was written by Shay Healy (who also wrote "the Ultimate Country and Western Song" performed by Billy Connolly) about watching his father coming to terms with the death of his wife and companion, Mairin When showband frontman Glen Curtin, the original choice of singer, turned down "What's Another Year", the song was rearranged by Bill Whelan to suit Johnny Logan's singing style. Whelan later composed Riverdance for the interval entertainment slot at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin.

Musically, the song is easily identifiable by its saxophone introduction played by Scottish musician Colin Tully, who now lives and teaches in Wales. The success of "What's Another Year" launched Logan's Eurovision career (he would go on to success in 1987 with "Hold Me Now"). In addition, the song was selected as one of the 14 greatest Eurovision entries in a special to mark the 50th anniversary of the contest. It was covered by Shane McGowan of The Pogues in the "Song for Eurotrash" cover album of 1998. Famously, after being announced as the winner of the Contest, Logan was overcome with emotion and could not achieve the high notes near the end of the song in his reprise. Instead, he called out "I love you Ireland", a phrase he would repeat seven years later. The song was performed seventeenth on the night (following France's Profil with "Hé, hé M'sieurs dames" and preceding Spain's Trigo Limpio with "Quédate esta noche"). At the close of voting, it had received 143 points, placing 1st in a field of 19.

The song was succeeded as Eurovision winner at the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 by British band Bucks Fizz and the song "Making Your Mind Up". It was succeeded as Irish representative at the 1981 Contest by Sheeba with "Horoscopes". In Germany, Johnny Logan released a German language version of "What's Another Year", entitled "Was ist schon ein Jahr". In Portugal the single was released (in English) with a minor typing error on the front sleeve as "What's Another Year!" 35 years ago today: Johnny Logan wins Eurovision with What's Another Year - EuroVisionary - Eurovision news worth reading Eurovision news worth reading Will O'Regan / 19th April 2015 at 12:39 / Et cetera , Eurovision Song Contest / Ireland On this day 35 years ago Johnny Logan scooped his first Eurovision win singing the Shay Healy ballad What’s Another Year in The Hague contest of 1980. It was Ireland’s second win and the beginning of what would eventually write him into the history books and earn him the worthy title Mr Eurovision.

Following Israel’s turning down of staging the contest two years in a row, and a refusal to stage by the BBC in the UK; The Netherlands stepped forward and agreed to stage the 25th song contest at the same venue as 1976 and brought out a familiar set from that contest which was reused due to budgetary and time constraints on the host broadcaster. In Dublin in March the National Song Contest was held at RTÉ Studios and What’s Another Year was a clear winner, finishing with a 19 point lead over the second placed entry of the eight entries performed. The song was a winner with the regional juries. Having attempted to be the Irish entry in 1979 it was mission accomplished for Johnny Logan on this occasion and within 6 weeks all the entrants were in The Hague and Ireland performed 17th of 19 on the night of 19th April 1980. Wearing a white suit and black shirt the 25 year old Australian-born Logan won the hearts and votes of Europe as the orchestra, conducted by Noel Kelehan performed the thoughtful and lonesome song. The very next day the Irish delegation returned to Dublin as heroes and the win was celebrated across the country.

It was the start of his unrivalled legacy in the contest, following on from this win Johnny went on to tour and try and forge a career in music however he suffered some setbacks and ahead of his 1987 experience he was reported as being at a point of where things needed a boost and he was hungry for a second chance at a hit. Of course we all know how his future panned out. To see that winning performance click on the video below Johnny recently performed a medley of his Euro hits at the BBC staged Eurovision’s Greatest Hits programme which is also attached below Eurovision Ireland: Five acts and song titles revealed Only love survives Wez Devine,Ryan Dolan The winning act will be selected on Eurosong 2013 on The Late Late Show on Friday 22 February. As was the case last year, Ireland’s Eurovision entry will be selected by a combination of public and regional jury vote. The five mentors represent different aspects of popular music and are varied in age and expertise. In alphabetical order they are: MAIRÉAD FARRELL and KASEY Mairéad Farrell is a radio and television presenter and a lifelong Eurovision fan.

A member of Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy’s radio team, she has also recently presented Celebrity Bainisteoir. Mairéad Farrell’s chosen act is 22-year-old singer/songwriter Kasey (Smith). At the age of 18 Kasey became a member of Irish girl band Wonderland managed by Louis Walsh and Kian Egan. After writing and recording a top 10 album the band toured with artists such as Olly Murs, Westlife and Boyzone. Recently Kasey went to Nashville to write and record with producers that have worked with artists including Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum. Kasey loves her entry for Eurosong 2013 – Kiss me there! Mairéad Farrell said, Being asked to be a Eurosong mentor by RTÉ was a like asking a massive football fan if they’d like to manage their favourite team. I jumped at the opportunity. It’s been such a huge learning experience; I’ve loved every minute of it. The icing on the Euro cake would be for my act Kasey to win on 22 February.

SHAY HEALY and INCHEQUIN Shay Healy is a writer and performer who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 with his songWhat’s another year sung by Johnny Logan. He is also known for his work as a television presenter, in particular the popular Nighthawks programme which he presented on RTÉ from 1988 to 1993. Shay’s chosen act are Inchequin – the five members are Sinead Bradley (tin whistle, mandolin and vocals), Hugh O’Neill (lead vocal, electric and acoustic guitars and mandolin), Selin Turkoglu (lead vocals and backing vocals) Ayda Tuncboyaciyan (violin and vocals) and Tevfik Kulak (trumpet, keyboards, bass, drums and vocals). Hugh O’Neill is from Lurgan Co. Armagh and Sinead Bradley is from Maghera Co. Derry. Sinead and Hugh have been playing and writing songs for over 19 years. They have toured extensively in over 19 countries. They have made six albums of original songs and tunes.

When the recession hit in 2009 Hugh and Sinead decided to move to Gumusluk, a Turkish fishing village where they met the other three members of Inchequin. Tevfik Kulak is a top trumpet/piano session and live performer and has played with the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Pavarotti, Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballe and Sarah Brightman. Tevfik is also a member of the Istanbul State Orchestra. Selin Turkoglu is a film actor and was a television presenter for many years but her passion is singing. Selin has Irish connections with an Irish step dad and two half Irish brothers. Ayda Tuncboyaciyan is famous in her own right in Turkey as a superb violinist. Her father Onno Tunç was a household name in Turkey as one of its most famous composers and wrote many of Ayda’s stepmother Sezen Aksu’s hit songs. Sezen Aksu is the most successful artist Turkey has ever produced with over 40,000,000 record sales worldwide. Inchequin have also been working on a film soundtrack for a Turkish- Irish film project called The Famine.

The screenplay details the story of how the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1847 sent three ships full of food and £10,000 to help the starving people in Ireland. Shay Healy said, I was looking for a song that would be simple enough to sing at any gathering and Son Kez fits the bill perfectly. From the U2 sound-alike jangling guitars opening, to the winning combination of Turkish and Irish whistle and fiddles, played á la Riverdance, the song delivers the best of both Irish and Turkish cultures and a very strong narrative lyric gives the song overall the infectious power and rhythm of a lively Irish ballad. MARK McCABE and AIMEE MARGUERITE FITZPATRICK Mark McCabe is a Radio DJ and music producer, in 2000 he had a hit single with Maniac 2000which remains one of Ireland’s biggest selling records of all time. Mark has chosen Aimée Marguerite Fitzpatrick as his act. Recording under the name Aimée, she’s an Irish recording artist and dance performer from Swords.

Only 17, she has garnered the affections of a legion of fans from her YouTube videos, where she performs her own adaptations of well-known popular chart songs by artists who inspire her. Over the past three months her YouTube channel has seen over half a million viewers from a loyal fanbase. Her most recent recording had over 120,000 views in less than 72 hours! Aimée is also an accomplished All Ireland Champion dancer and choreographer and teaches at the renowned Backstreet Dance Studios. There she has honed her skills alongside the likes of Khasan Brailford (Beyonce, J-Lo, Rihanna, Kylie Minogue); Laura Edwards (Justin Bieber, Britney Spears) and Jae Fuzz (Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj); among many, many others. She has danced in various musicals and lately has performed with the twin Irish act Jedward. Aimée has been attracting growing interest from major record labels in Ireland, the UK and USA. The single Crashing down was written by Irish songwriter Robert Grace. Mark McCabe said, As soon as I heard Aimée singing this song, I knew straight away it was what I was looking for.

We’ve lost our way with the Eurovision over the last few years. Aimée and this song bring it right back to what it’s all about. Not glitz, not glam nor production. It’s about the song. At just 17, I have no doubt Aimée has a massive career ahead of her. Her distinct vocal ability is of an international standard, and this song is just the start of things to come. She is a star. NIALL MOONEY and ZOE BOHORQUEZ Niall Mooney is a songwriter and producer based in Galway. He has had previous Eurosong success, co-writing Ireland’s 2009 Eurovision entry Etcetera performed by Sinead Mulvey and Black Daisy and Ireland’s 2010 entry It’s for you performed by Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh. Niall has chosen Zoë Bohorquez as his act. Zoë grew up in Mullingar where she spent much of her childhood immersing herself in the arts and honing her craft. While attending Loreto College Secondary School Zoë enrolled in a local dance group, attended drama school and was a frequent face in the local musical productions.

The hometown connection was truly evident as Zoë went on to tour Ireland for various events and concerts sharing the stage with friend and superstar Niall Horan of One Direction, with whom Zoë grew up. Zoë’s youthful ambition and talent also caught the attention of The Voice of Ireland judge Niall Breslin. Zoë successfully recorded her first song with Bressie, while a member of Irish Girl group UnderGrounD and together were successfully awarded Best New Girl Group in 2010 at The Irish Entertainment Awards. In time major interest was shown both at home and overseas, but it was across the Atlantic where Zoë was scouted by Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer Timbaland. The future remains both bright and busy for Zoë as she is a second year running ambassador for The Share A Dream Foundation, was recently chosen by former Miss World and Miss Universe winner Rosanna Davison as 2013 Diva Next Door Calendar Girl and has been placed in the sights of super producer Afrojack with whom she has a future project currently in the works. Niall Mooney said, As soon as I met Zoë I knew this could be Ireland’s next big pop star.

She is the complete package and perfect for the contest. Zoë is also one of the hardest working and most pleasant people I have ever worked with. Mullingar has always been at the heart of Irish pop music with Joe Dolan, Bressie and Niall Horan and I believe Zoë is the next big chapter in that story. If Ireland decides to send Zoë to Sweden, with a fair wind and bit of luck, I believe she can go all the way. I hear a lot of people say Ireland can never win the contest again. I don’t believe that’s true and when you see Zoë I’m hoping you’ll believe me. STUART O’CONNOR and RYAN DOLAN Stuart O’Connor is a director of Spotlight Productions and is one of Ireland’s top producers and choreographers. Stuart is the man behind the successful Jedward pantos and all Jedward’s live tours in the last three years. He devised the performance of Waterline at last years’ Eurovision. Stuart recently produced and directed The Best of Eurovision Show with six previous winners Johnny Logan, Linda Martin, Niamh Kavanagh, Dana, Charlie McGettigan and Paul Harrington.

He was a judge on RTÉ’s Supercrew and choreographed the highly acclaimed RTÉ Big Music Week Lipdub YouTube video. Stuart has chosen Ryan Dolan a young singer-songwriter from Strabane in Co. Tyrone as his act. Ryan is the only songwriter performing his own composition Only Love Survives. He has played support to many acts over the years including Tinchy Stryder, Jedward and many more. Ryan has been described as one of the most exciting homegrown musical talents to be discovered in Ireland in recent years. His YouTube channel has received over 800,000 hits. Ryan has teamed up with music producer and composer Wez Devine. Wez is a 34-year-old songwriter/producer originally from Malahide, Co. Dublin now based in Lifford, Co.Donegal. So far the fruits of their labour include being featured on BBC Radio1 in the UK in 2012 – their track titled The Secret by Zenemy DJz featuring Ryan Dolan found great support and was daytime play-listed by the giants of the station Sara Cox, Hugh Stevens and Scott Mills.

They are hopeful that their latest composition Only love survives will make it to Malmö for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest and bring Eurovision back to Ireland for the eighth time. Stuart O’Connor said, As soon as I discovered I was going to be a mentor I was determined that given the opportunity I would send an Irish singer / songwriter to Malmö this year. I was delighted to receive a large volume of songs from all around the world but as soon as I heard Only Love Survives I knew this was it – it ticked all the boxes. I immediately set about gathering a full Irish team including backing vocals by Leanne Moore and percussion by Nicky Bailey founder of Extreme Rhythm who has performed with Riverdance and most recently on X Factor with Kelly Clarkson. The result is a modern song with an Irish vibe that will appeal to audiences across Europe. Courtesy: RTE PRESS RELEASE ESCToday is growing and always looks for new members to join our team! Feel free to drop us a line if you're interested! Use the Contact Us page or send us an email at vacancies@esctoday.com !

Tags: Eurovision song contest: Irish winners take tour down memory lane - BBC News BBC News Eurovision song contest: Irish winners take tour down memory lane By Peter Coulter BBC Northern Ireland Reporter 12 October 2012 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Music fans from across Europe have flocked to Belfast for one of the biggest Eurovision nostalgia shows ever to be staged. Image caption Dana is returning to the stage following her participation in the Irish presidential campaign Ireland's previous Eurovision song contest winners are touring together for the first time, almost 20 years since the last Irish victory. Johnny Logan, Dana, Linda Martin and Niamh Kavanagh are among the acts taking fans on a trip down memory lane. With seven wins, Ireland is still the most successful country in the contest. But what effect did the competition have on Ireland and what are the chances of the country ever winning it again? Ireland first won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970, with Dana singing All Kinds of Everything. The win made her an instant star across Europe and set the ball rolling for another six wins for Ireland in the Eurovision.

Ireland's Eurovison winners 1970 - Dana: All Kinds of Everything 1980 - Johnny Logan: What's Another Year? 1987 - Johnny Logan: Hold me now 1992 - Linda Martin: Why Me? 1993 - Niamh Kavanagh: In Your Eyes 1994 - Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan: Rock n Roll Kids 1996 - Eimear Quinn: The Voice 'Exclusive club' That of course meant Ireland was able to host the competition and show the country off to the millions of Eurovision fans across the world. Johnny Logan, or 'Mister Eurovision', won the contest twice for Ireland in 1980 and 1987. He also wrote the winning song in 1992. Speaking to the BBC on opening night, he explained why now is the right time for the tour. "We've been asked loads of times to do a tour but it's never really felt right. This is a proper production with sets and orchestras and it felt like the right time. "The reality of it is we are members of a very exclusive club.

There are not too many people who can say they have won the Eurovision and to have so many of us in Ireland is a great honour. Linda Martin who won in 1992 with Why Me? echoed what Johnny said. Eurovision gave Ireland confidence. It encouraged self belief in the country and it gave the people that self belief as well Johnny Logan, Eurovision winner "This tour has been mooted many times but this is going to be an extravaganza. We have an orchestra like the good old days. It's great to have such a great team on board. "We'll be taking fans back to the golden days of the competition. We already know fans are flying in from as far away as Germany to relive their experiences of being here all those years ago." Johnny and Linda will be joined on the stage by Dana, Niamh Kavanagh, Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan. The only Irish winner who is absent from the tour is Eimear Quinn who took the prize back to Ireland for a seventh time in 1996 with The Voice. Celtic Tiger Ireland won the Eurovision in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Ireland's boom years and the Celtic Tiger economy began in 1995. So did the Eurovision have anything to do with Ireland's increased confidence? "It certainly helped, Eurovision gave Ireland confidence. It encouraged self-belief in the country and it gave the people that self-belief as well," Johnny told us. "In a time when Ireland had nothing, the Eurovision was something that Ireland could do well in. It was very patriotic and gave people hope. Nowadays there is nowhere for talent to develop unless you go on the X Factor or a show like that Linda Martin, Eurovision winner Linda Martin believed that with Ireland hosting the competitions, the traditional image of Ireland that was projected helped boost the country's tourism reputation. "The tourist industry that happened around the competition was great. Everyone was employed or working in some way because of the competition. "Five hundred million people watched the Eurovision. They were caught up in the moment. They saw thatch cottages and people drinking Guinness and people just wanted to be in Ireland after that. It really helped the economy and really gave Ireland a huge boost. Jedward In recent years, Ireland has not done so well in the competition.

With acts failing to make the finals and novelty acts like Dustin the Turkey failing to impress. Even Jedward, who were early favourites in this year's competition, did not do as well as initially hoped. So could the country ever win it again? Linda Martin was in Azerbaijan this year mentoring Jedward but believes the problem is in finding new talent. "The thing today is there isn't really anywhere for new singers to be found, we used to work in the cabarets and the discos and people got to see you develop. "Nowadays there is nowhere for talent to develop unless you go on the X Factor or a show like that. "We need to find new talent and help develop them. I think Johnny should write another ballad. Ireland can win this competition again and we can do it with a ballad." So with Ireland's biggest Eurovision names touring together. Could this be the start of a formation of a super group that could help bring the title back after almost 20 years?

As Linda says, "Never say never." Song of the Day - Johnny Logan - What's Another Year - Eurovision 1980 - Ireland - Winner - YouTube Song of the Day - Johnny Logan - What's Another Year - Eurovision 1980 - Ireland - Winner Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Dec 28, 2009 In 1980,the 25th Eurovision Song Contest was held in The Hague,Netherlands.Johnny Logan represented Ireland and they won!!With 143 points and he has won ahead Germany,The United Kingdom,Switzerland and The Netherlands. So this Johnny Logan's song "What's Another Year". Category RTÉ Archives | Entertainment | What's Another Year Entertainment 'What's Another Year' marks the beginning of Johnny Logan's success as he wins at the National Song Contest.

Back in 1980 Johnny Logan got his big break when he won the National Song Contest with the song 'What's Another Year', written by Shay Healy. Here we see Johnny collecting his trophy, and Shay Healy collecting his prize money of £500. Logan went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland. In 1987 he went on to win the competition for a second time with the song 'Hold Me Now'. Johnny Logan also composed the song 'Why Me?' sung by Linda Martin and the winning song in the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest. The 1980 National Song Contest presented by Larry Gogan was broadcast live on RTÉ Television on 9 March, 1980. Johnny Logan Wins National Song Contest (1980) Keywords: Follow the Archives for more daily updates on features, profiles and exhibitions Explore RTÉ 60 years of Eurovision Song Contest - the 80's Eurovision Legends Commentators and hosts The commentators are the narrators for the TV viewers at home and are usually popular presenters or journalists in their countries. Sometimes they are joined by past participants or experts on the contest to make the most of their transmission.

And some of them are an institution whose career is linked to the Eurovision Song Contest like Sir Terry Wogan, the legendary commentator for the British broadcaster BBC. In total, between radio and TV, he covered the Eurovision Song Contest a record 36 times for the BBC and in 1998 he also co-hosted the contest in Birmingham. Another host for the BBC, Italian-born British actress and presenter Katie Boyle has earned herself a place in the contest history as the person who has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest the most times. The British broadcaster gave her the task on four different occasions. The Eurovision Song Contest has had several popular presenters over the years like a-ha's lead singer Morten Harket or Boyzone's Ronan Keating. Other names include American TV-hostess Maria Menounos, Russian model Natalia Vodianova and Danish actor Pilou Asbæk. The biggest source for Eurovision Song Contest presenters is found in former participants, in total 15 of them have also hosted the contest throughout the history, like the past winners Corry Brokken, Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno, Marie N and Eldar Gasimov.

In 1985 Lill Lindfors, a former Swedish performer, performed one of the most iconic moments in the history of the contest when she suffered a wardrobe malfunction live, which turned out to be a gag when she joked "I just wanted to wake you up a little". Fun facts Sandra Kim celebrates her victory on stage after winning the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest for Belgium. Book of records The youngest contestant Israel's Gili was 12 years-old while France's Nathalie Pâque was 11 years-old when they took part in the contest. At five days short of her 12th birthday, Nathalie is the youngest contestant ever to perform lead vocals in the contest. In 1986 Belgium had enter Sandra Kim who was 13 years-old and performed J’aime La Vie. She still stands as the youngest ever winner, something that will remain given the current rules. Nowadays the minimum age is 16 on the day of the Final. The scoreboard shows Sandra Kim heading for victory in Norway.

Eurovision The Presenter The presenter of the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest, Åse Kleveland, had already participated as a singer for her home country in 1966 where she was placed 3rd. She had also already presented the Norwegian national final in 1980. Fun facts Miniature set design in 1987. Eurovision Participants Germany came second this year with the song Lass Die Sonne In Dein Herz by the group Wind. For the group, it was already the second silver ranking after being the runner up in 1985. The song still ranks as one of the best-known Eurovision hits in Denmark. Control room for the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest production. Mister Eurovision Johnny Logan enters the contests stage again in 1987. Book of records Most Licks Who has had the most licks on the stage in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest? We’ve had all kinds of licks: the hungry lick, the lizard lick and others but the one that stands out is Johnny Logan in 1987 who licked his lips a total 30 times and won the contest with Hold Me Now.

Fun facts Eurovision Rules of competition Another new rule was created: in the event of a tie, the country with the most "12 points" wins. If this also resulted in a tie, then the winner would be the country which had received the most "10 points". This rule became necessary in 1991 when Sweden and France were tied at first place with 146 points. Yugoslavia wins the 1989 contest. Yugoslavia wins the 1989 contest. Eurovision Participants Germany and Austria's entries were both written by German pop titan, Dieter Bohlen. Bohlen became famous in Germany in the 1980's as one half of the duo Modern Talking. Since then, he has gone on to have a successful career as one of the country's most successful pop producers and also became a judge in the German version of Pop Idol. Fun facts

Question: Who won the Eurovision song contest for Ireland in 1980 singing What's Another Year
Answer: Johnny Logan